Academic Expectations

Progress Towards Graduation

Students must successfully complete 48 credits to graduate. Starting with the class of 2011, a student must successfully complete 54 credits to graduate. In addition, a basic requirement for a student to be eligible to receive a high school diploma from Eden Prairie Schools will be obtaining at least the established passing score for each Minnesota Basic Standards Test, using the tests determined by the Department of Education. Specific requirements are outlined in the registration guide which is distributed to students in February.

Eden Prairie High School expects students to make continuous progress toward graduation. Seniors will be allowed to participate in commencement exercises only if they have completed all graduation requirements, or are fewer than two credits deficient. Students who are deficient in credits may make them up by enrolling for extra classes or attending an approved night school, summer school, or independent study program. It is strongly recommended that the student confer with his/her counselor regarding progress toward graduation.

Grading Policy

The purpose of grading is to communicate to parents/guardians, students, and the community the extent to which the student has met the objectives of a course. The 4.0 non-weighted grading system, standardized within courses and departments, should promote risk-taking, promote mastery, and allow for personalization.

The definition of grades at EPHS is as follows:

A =	93-100	B- =	80-82	D+ =	67-69
A- =	90-92	C+ =	77-79	D =	63-66
B+ =	87-89	C =	73-76	D- =	60-62
B =	83-86	C- =	70-72	F =	59 & below

Pass/No Credit system: P = 73% and above, NC = below 73%

Final term grades will be rounded by up only for point values of .5-.9 and rounded down for point values 0-.4.

Extra credit can be included in the final grade up to 5% of the total grade.

Tests may retaken at the discretion of the teacher. Retaken test grades may not be greater than 70 percent, regardless of retaken test score.

Behavior will not be included in the final grade. Effort will not be included in the final grade unless it is part of the learning activity score.

Students with unexcused absences will not receive credit for any work or tests given on that day.

A student who has received a grade of D or F has the option of retaking a course, with the consultation of the original teacher. The student will receive only one credit, but the higher grade will appear the transcript. The student is responsible for requesting that the higher grade replace the lower grade on the transcript.

Failing and Retaking a Course

If a student who fails a class wants to retake the class in the following term/semester, he/she must wait until the first day's class to register. Registration will be on a space available basis. Students failing the preceding term of a multiple term class may continue in the course at the discretion of the teacher. Students who want to appeal the recommendation to drop the course should see their counselor.

Homework

When a student is ill, the student is encouraged to contact a classmate or contact a teacher by email or voicemail to get assignments. If students need textbooks from a locker, parents/guardians are encouraged to stop at the high school and pick up the books from their student's locker. Teachers are not required to provide assignments prior to a student's vacation. Homework will only be accepted for an excused absence. Students must turn in homework within an agreed time frame. Parents must call the attendance line, 952-975-8001, within 48 hours to excuse an absence.

Honor Roll

A Honor Roll: 3.666 average or above. B Honor Roll: 2.666 average or above.

NHS

Students are honored academically through the National Honor Society. Specific information about criteria and guidelines is available from the NHS advisor.

Honors Diploma

Graduating seniors who meet all of the following criteria, determined at the pass/no credit drop date during fourth term, will be recognized at the graduation ceremony with an Honors Diploma:

6 Advanced Placement (AP), College in the School (CIS), and/or most Project Lead the Way (PLTW) credits.
3.5 or higher cumulative GPA
Minimum of 54 credits

Graduating seniors who meet all of the above criteria after the pass/no credit drop date during fourth term will have "Honors Diploma" noted on their transcript at the end of the school year.

Credit for Prior Learning

Credit for Prior Learning provides students the opportunity to demonstrate prior learning. A student may test out of a course if s/he is able to demonstrate prior knowledge and mastery of the course outcomes. Each department determines the appropriate assessments and acceptable level of performance. A student may not test out of any course in which s/he has been or is currently enrolled. Testing will occur twice a year. All applications for this procedure must be completed by November 1 for terms 3 and 4 and April 1 for terms 1 and 2 of the next school year. Credit for prior learning may not be used towards the Honors Diploma. Forms for the Credit for Prior Learning process are available through the Gifted Services Coordinator.

Grade Level Waivers

Grade level requirements for EPHS courses are listed in the Course Offerings Guide. Students may ask for a grade level waiver on a case-by-case basis, by meeting each of the following criteria:

a severe scheduling conflict or other extreme need, as determined by an EPHS counselor or administrator;
a high class ranking equivalent to Post-Secondary Enrollment Option status for the University of Minnesota (the student must have a GPA of 3.70 or higher);
completion of all other prerequisites for the course;
a strong teacher recommendation from the student's most recent teacher in the subject area in question for the waiver;
several examples of where the student has shown strong interactive or discussion skills in a class or activity (especially highlighting interaction or discussion with older students); AND
an early request (i.e., during the spring registration period for the following school year) so that staffing levels can be addressed, or a later request if space is available in the class in question.

EPHS reserves the right to deny a grade level waiver if related administrative issues cannot be reasonably resolved. Forms to request a grade level waiver are available from the Gifted and Talented Coordinator.

Eden Prairie Independent Coursework (EPIC)

Independent Coursework is an option to allow a student to design his/her own learning plan, creating an option for credit. The goal of the program is to give students a learning opportunity which fits individual needs while maintaining a quality experience. This option is not intended for courses regularily offered in the EPHS Course Offerings Guide, and teachers are under no obligation to supervise students in this program. EPIC forms are available from the Gifted and Talented Coordinator.

Pass/No Credit Option

The guidelines for the pass/no credit option are:

The passing grade for all departments will be 73 percent of the cumulated points or grades for the term.
Students may exercise the option for up to two courses each year with no more than one per term.
Many colleges and universities request courses be taken for the grade
Students must declare their intent by the first school day following parent/teacher conferences each term. These dates for the 2007-2008 school year are as follows:

October 8, 2007
December 19, 2007
March 10, 2008
May 9, 2008

Dropping a Class

Students may drop a class by the first school day following parent/teacher conferences each term. These dates for the 2007-2008 school year are as follows:

October 8, 2007
December 19, 2007
March 10, 2008
May 9, 2008

Incomplete Policy

Incompletes can be given to students who did not complete coursework due to extenuating circumstances that are beyond their control. When a student earns a grade of (I) Incomplete, it will be reflected in the computation of his/her new GPA as a zero. This zero stays until the grade is changed.

In order to resolve an incomplete, the student must make arrangements with the teacher to complete the missing work. That work should be completed during the first three weeks directly following the course. If the work is not completed by the three week deadline, the student has three options:

If the work was in English, math, social studies, biology, 9th grade science, or health, the student may make application to summer school. (Summer school applications are available in the DISCOVER program office.)
If the student is 16 years or old, and the incomplete was in English, math, social studies, 9th grade science or health, the student may register for independent student through District 287. (Independent Study applications are available in the DISCOVER program office.)
If the student is 16 or older, the student may register for classes at an Area Learning Center (ALC). The student is responsible to make sure that the course they register for offers the same content and/or standard as the EPHS course. Students should see their guidance counselor for ALC registration. A copy of the registration from the ALC must be submitted to the summer school coordinator.

Any incomplete not resolved by the beginning of the next school year will be changed to an F.

Forms of Academic Dishonesty

Plagiarism

Plagiarism is the taking of someone else's product, words, ideas, or data and representing them as if they are one's own work. When a student submits work for credit that includes the product, words, ideas, or data of others, the source must be acknowledged by the use of complete, accurate, and specific references. By placing one's name on work submitted for credit, the student certifies the originality of all work not otherwise identified by appropriate acknowledgements. On written assignments, if verbatim statements are included, the statements must be enclosed by quotation marks or set off from regular text as indented extracts. A student will avoid being charged with plagiarism if there is an acknowledgement of sources of information whenever one:

Quotes another person's actual words, or replicates all or part of another's product.
Cutting and pasting another person's actual words.
Uses another person's ideas, opinions, work, data, or theories, even if they are completely paraphrased in one's own words.
Borrows facts, statistics, or other illustrative materials - unless the information is common knowledge.

Cheating

Cheating is an act of deception by which a student misrepresents or misleadingly demonstrates that he/she has mastered information on an academic exercise that he/she has not mastered, including the giving or receiving of unauthorized help in an academic exercise. Examples include, but arent limited to:

Copying from another student's test paper, computer program, project, product, or performance or providing any information.
Collaborating without authority or allowing another student to copy one's work in a test situation.
Using the course textbook or other material not authorized for use during a test.
Using unauthorized materials during a test; for example, notes, formula lists, cues on a computer, photographs, symbolic representations, and notes written on clothing.
Resubmitting substantially the same work that was produced for another assignment or course without the knowledge and permission of the instructor.
Taking a test for someone else or permitting someone else to take a test for you.
Use of electronic devices to give or receive information.

Students who engage in plagiarism or cheating will receive no credit for the work and the student's dean will be notified of the infraction via a discipline form. See specific policies under student management guidelines.